Charles Frances Annesley Voysey (b. 1857–d. 1941) was an architect, designer, and leading figure of the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain. The houses and interiors he designed, notably his own home, The Orchard, Chorleywood (1899), were much acclaimed. From 1890 to 1910 he was regarded as one of the most innovative and influential architects of his generation. His international reputation was enhanced through the widespread publication of his work, and his own writing and lectures. He had strong guiding principles, believing in a simple and honest life, lived close to nature. Voysey was trained by J. P. Seddon (b. 1827–d. 1906) from 1874 and then worked for Henry Saxon Snell (b. 1830–d. 1904), followed by George Devey (b. 1820–d. 1886). He set up his own practice in 1882, specializing in small-scale houses. He designed only a few commercial or public buildings, including a factory for Sanderson and Co., London (1902) and Winsford Cottage Hospital, Devon (1901). Voysey designed homes to suit the needs of his clients’ lifestyles and budgets, in which he merged traditional styles with modern construction techniques, materials, and amenities such as plumbing and electricity. He used a consistent architectural language, and while the same details appear over and over, the result is never repetitive and always suited to the setting. Voysey was also a successful designer of patterns for textiles and wallpapers, beginning around 1884 and producing a prolific range over the next fifty years. He designed extensively for other media, including furniture, clocks, ceramics, metalwork, stained glass, jewelry, sculpture, and graphic design. Voysey was a pioneer, and scholars, notably Pevsner 1968 (cited under General Overviews), at first positioned him as a pioneer of modern design. Voysey firmly rejected this notion, believing that he was an individual, a man of his age, and a follower of the Gothic revival. His most important influences were the architect and designer A. W. N. Pugin (b. 1812–d. 1852), the writer and critic John Ruskin (b. 1819–d. 1900), and the designer, poet and socialist William Morris (b. 1834–d. 1896). He also greatly admired the architect Ninian Comper (b. 1864–d. 1960). Voysey did not receive formal recognition until later in life. He became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1927 and was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in 1940. In 1936 he was elected Designer for Industry by the Royal Society of Arts. He lived in poor financial straits exasperated by the decline of his practice after 1912, ill health, and separated from his wife since 1917. He died in Winchester in 1941.
